Lady in Waiting
by Lady Stranger
Summary: AU: Emma owns a theatre, and after a crazy graduation party of Regina's fiance, the blonde threatens the brunette into being her lead actress on her upcoming play. SwanQueen/May or may not contain smut in future chapters. *Trigger warning: expect anything.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Lady in Waiting

1

What a life she has. Everything feels heavenly right. Regina, though, is almost waiting for the punchline to this overplayed joke. It is a joke, isn't it? Having a family that loves her dearly. Having a fiancé whom she trusts and cherishes. Having close friends, and a great sum of wealth stacked in the bank. Living in a massive villa at the heart of San Francisco, along with Daniel and her goldfish; Sparky. Being a freshly graduated gynecologist with a perfect score in almost all her training areas, and with a bright future ahead of her.

There has to be a punchline, she thinks. No one has a life like hers without developing a sudden illness or two. People who are perfect like her; who have everything they ever wanted, usually get into car accidents and wake up in the hospital with no memory of their own.

It is just the way things work around the world, really. A bit of common knowledge, and the expected turn of events.

* * *

It's 9:52 p.m, and Regina's been waiting for the past 5 minutes by the vapid, beige concrete wall of the Café they had promised to meet at. When she hears her cellphone ring, she knows it's Daniel from the pink-panther ringtone. Smiling, she answers a bit too fast, "Daniel," She breaths out his name, husky voice and cheery tone.

The weather is cold, and she makes a note to buy some cough drops on her way back home after tonight. Or maybe Daniel has some stacked in his car.

"How late?" She asks, her voice hitching slightly. "If it's just five minutes, then I'll wait for you. I'd rather you were by my side when we walk in. You know how I am with crowds."

"No, darling. It's not too much trouble, and I'm not all that sick-" As if to make a fool out of herself, she breaks into a fit of coughing. On impulse, she pushes the phone away from her ear, covering her Blackberry's microphone with her palm. Why she has both a Blackberry, and also an iPhone? Because Daniel had bought her the Blackberry as an anniversary gift, while she had bought the iPhone because she wanted an one, and actually knew how to use it.

Not convinced, Daniel asks her to wait inside, and that his words are final. "Fine," She says with a roll of eyes, and stomps her feet all the way inside the Café.

The establishment is large, crowded and smells of beer and coffee. A bar in the middle, surrounded by a bunch of wooden, circular tables and stools. Regina is not surprised to find a karaoke machine nestled at the far end of the place. The Café reminds her of a hand-me-down shabby red car she had once seen in her father's garage.

She sighs. This was Daniel's party, why isn't he here? She didn't know any of his friends. This David guy who apparently has thrown a graduation party for Daniel, isn't even a doctor like her fiancé, he's some cop with no impressive career to gloat about. She saw David once months ago, and she's not even sure she remembers his face now. Why Daniel is friends with him to begin with? Regina has absolutely no idea.

Society ranks exist for a reason.

"Regina, over here!" Victor Whale exclaims, waving his hand enthusiastically.

Victor is a cardiologist at the hospital Daniel will begin his residency training at, some time next month. Regina is almost done with her residency training as a gynecologist, making her just a year ahead of Daniel, who's a general surgeon. Her fiancé, however, had changed his major to medicine just before he obtained his law certificate. In actuality he's 32, and exactly 4 years and 3 months older than Regina.

She never asked him why he had changed his major, and he never told her.

"Victor," The brunette nods curtly, and she seems almost as happy as Victor is to see a familiar face. She knows not to sit next to him if she doesn't want him rubbing himself on her. His hands on her thighs, on her hands and on her shoulders. She is, though, glad to have someone to converse with should this get too boring before Daniel arrives.

"How are you? God, I haven't seen you in forever."

"I'm quite well," She says, going around the table to sit next to a pixie-haired woman. She offers a small smile to the group, before she turns to face Victor, who's sitting across from her, "Daniel should be here in five."

"He's late!" David jokes, extending his hand to Regina from next to Victor. The brunette accepts his hand, and he introduces her to his girlfriend, "This is Mary Margaret, she's my girl and Emma's neighbor." He says, all-too proud of the piece of information Regina doesn't seem to care about.

"This handsome man over here is Jones, he works with Emma, and so does that lovely lady over there, Ruby." He waits until she nods at all of them, offering smiles.

"This is Regina Mills, Daniel's fiancé, everyone." They smile at her and nod.

"More is on the way!" Ruby beams, as she makes her way to the table with drinks in hand. "And I don't mean just the liquor." She adds for Regina's benefit.

"More?" Regina asks Victor, glancing at her watch. It's five past ten.

"More people. Your man is really popular within their group." He answers.

"I see…And what group is that?" She asks, raising her eyebrows in questioning, unconsciously raising her voice, as well.

Ruby hears, and smiles at Regina. She holds a finger to her mouth, shushing. "It's a secret," She tells her.

"Oh, please. You can't keep secrets, Rubes." A blonde woman equips as she saunters over to their table, a broad smile gracing her pink lips.

Regina doesn't bother to look up, still waiting for Ruby to answer. But when Ruby rushes to hug the blonde, it is then when Regina chooses to regard the new party participant.

Regina gasps. Something has happened. Her palms are sweating, stomach is fluttering, and she feels her heart tightly clenching. She shakes her head, hoping to shake away the feeling in the process, and looks over to David, nodding towards the blonde, silently asking him who she is.

"Emma!" Jones exclaims, running off to hug the blonde. "We thought you wouldn't make it tonight. How's the arm?"

"This little thing?" She yanks at her cast with her healthy, left hand. "Nah, it's just pretending to be tired so I don't use it to dig the mines." She winks at Ruby.

Ruby blushes, "You mean scratching the itch?"

Jones laughs, his arms on Emma's hips. "No, mate. I think she means flipping the switch."

Emma shakes her head, slipping away from both of Jones and Ruby's grips to greet the others. Or one person in particular who caught her eyes. "Hey," She casually says, dropping next to Regina.

"Hello," Regina says, still trying to figure out what the hell they were taking about. "You broke your arm flipping a switch?" She hesitatingly asks. For someone who doesn't like people, Regina finds that she would like to know more about the blonde. Perhaps she's drawn to her because of the blonde's hideous red jacket, Regina muses.

Or, perhaps she's finally too bored to care.

Suddenly, Mary chokes on air, pounding on her chest trying to catch her breath.

"Honey…When will you ever get used to this? We're a group of adults." He pats on the chair next to him, and Mary goes to sit on it.

Victor takes this chance, and moves to sit next to Regina.

"No," Emma says, clearing her throat. "I didn't break my arm flipping an actual switch." She leans in closer to Regina, her eyes shimmering under the dim light of the Cafe. "The truth is, I was masturbating when Mary M. walked in on me, and I fell off the bed." She tells her.

Regina's eyes grow wide, "What? You can't be serious." She was not hearing this. No, she must've heard wrong because ladies don't speak that kind of talk with men around.

Or around anyone for that matter.

Emma chuckles at the expression, and smirks at Regina. She reaches for the brunette's hand, leans down, keeping eye contact, and places a soft kisse to the startled brunette's knuckles. "Oh, I'm serious." She tells her, "Tell me you haven't masturbated before."

Regina blushes, feeling Emma's lips on her middle finger.

"Careful, Emma. She's mine." Daniel warns, making his way to the table.

Regina's head snaps up, and before she could say anything, Emma pulls back, smiling at the newcomer.

"Danny! Danny!" Emma chants, and the rest join in. "Danny! Danny! Danny!"

For a moment, he stares at the group chanting his name, before he laughs, smiling at Emma. "Ravish me," He says in a singsong voice, extending his arms in the air, and closing his eyes, humming joyfully.

"Ravish your Danneh!"

"Daniel…" Regina murmurs, completely shocked at the scene unfolding in front of her. This is not her fiancé, this is someone entirely different. He looks happier, much more carefree, and above all, he appears to be having the fun of his life. When it's just the two of them, he always has class and elegance. This man right here, has none.

"Daniel!"

To Regina's voice, Daniel snaps his head to his woman, opening his eyes and straightening his arms. "Regina," He says, his voice confirming her suspicions that for a moment he did forget she was there, "Hello, darling."

Regina rolls her eyes, sighing tiredly. She wants to ask him about his smile, and how happy he seems to be around these clowns, but she figures there's a place and time. "You're late," She says instead.

"I'm sorry, dear. There was an accident, and they asked if a doctor was present. I had to help."

"There are other doctors in the world," She pouts, looking down at her drink. She doesn't even know what she's drinking, but it's alcohol, and right now she needs the numbness. Of course Daniel would stop and help. He thinks he's going to save the world one patient at a time. This was a preview of how their marriage will be, she thinks as she gulps the rest of her drink.

"Oh, come on! Cheer up, mate!" Jones says, refilling Regina's glass.

She looks up, and sees everyone staring at her. Great, now she's the needle in everyone's throats. Regina takes a breath to calm her nerves, then smiles at them. "So...What do you guys have next in mind?" She says, raising the glass to her mouth for another sip.

"Fun," Emma challenges. "Are you prepared to have fun, Regina?"

Regina stares at this woman who she has just met, who obviously thinks they're at first name basis now. "Of course," She grits out, "Count me in."

Emma throws her head back, and laughs at the apparent annoyance gracing the brunette's face. She's cute as ever, Emma thinks. "Don't look so scared," She says, "We won't bite."

"She's lying," Ruby says, "This one here likes to bite." She leans in and ever so boldly bites on Emma's lower lip like it's the most natural thing to do.

Regina looks away immediately, her heart making that clenching feeling from earlier. She makes a note to have Daniel examine her, and maybe prescribe her some medication. She must be sicker than she thinks she is; must be a very bad cold.

She sips from her glass, completely missing the annoyed look on the blonde's face as she pushes the young brunette away.

* * *

"Over my dead body." Regina says, "What is this building even trying to be? It looks like a giant cardboard hotel for homeless cats."

Emma laughs at that, but Daniel does not. He's a little bit more than embarrassed at how his woman has been behaving on this fine get together.

"Haven't we had enough 'fun' for the day?" Regina adds, irritated that Emma didn't drive them home and instead she brought them to God knows where. The blonde was the only one sober, and according to her, Regina would love this last place she took them to.

"You said you're ready to have fun," Emma shrugs, slipping the key in the lock, and unlocking the door. "I don't know about the others, but I didn't have enough fun playing spin the bottle and strip poker." She looks at Regina when she speaks, and winks at the brunette knowingly.

Regina blushes, and quickly reaches for Daniel's car keys from Emma's hand, snatching them away forcibly. She groans at Emma, then storms off, locking herself inside the crimson red BMW.

The sun is almost up, and Emma knows that with it the day would be over. She would have to tell Daniel about what had happened earlier in the night. Which is why for the rest of the day, she just wants to have fun before everything changes for good.

Well, more than it already had changed.

Emma leans in to the very drunk Daniel, "Listen, you take MM and David inside, and I'll get Regina." He looks at her, about ready to apologize, but she shakes her head. "It's really not a problem."

* * *

_"Spin the bottle? Then by all means, go on and play without me. Daniel and I have no interest in polygamy." She stomps away, and Daniel's shoulders slump at the retreating form. He thinks perhaps it was a bad idea to introduce her to all his friends at once._

_"Wait! It's either strip poker, or spin the bottle. You have to choose one game or the other." Daniel tells her, already lowering himself on the sand. Along with Victor, Ruby and David, they sit by the shore, patiently waiting for Regina to choose. _

_In the middle, there's a small fire that Ruby had started._

_Regina looks over and sees Emma, Mary Margaret, and two more of the blonde's friends: Graham Humbert, and August booth. She doesn't want to take her clothes off, it's a little more than chilly out here, and she most certainly doesn't want to kiss anyone other than Daniel. The idea that he's willing to do so, makes her almost choose spin the bottle, but she's an excellent poker player, and she's confident she won't lose._

_"Fine, strip poker it is." She says, and she rolls her eyes at everyone's surprised exclaims._

_Mary, Graham and August sit to complete the circle, and Emma goes over to stand next to the brunette. "Interesting choice," Emma says, giving Regina a once-over. "I didn't take you for the courageous type."_

_"Save it, you won't be seeing any of this." She rolls her eyes._

_"Arrogant, are we now?" She leans in closer to Regina's ear, "And don't tell me it's confidence, because I rather like that arrogance of yours. Makes it so much easier to read you." With that, she moves away, not allowing Regina the final say._

_"Alright, folks," David says, lightly throwing beer cans their way. "You know the rules. Whoever folds three times in a row, loses a piece. Whoever loses a round loses a piece."_

_"Those are not the rules," Victor equips, "Folding doesn't cost you a piece."_

_"Yes it does." Emma smirks as she lowers herself next to Regina. "Also, two socks count as one piece."_

_"How about belts?" August asks._

_"I don't think so, no." Graham answers him._

_"I've never heard of these rules before," Regina pouts at David._

_"Perhaps not," David adds, "But they are rules nonetheless. And we just need the common ground so we don't end up pulling each other's hair."_

_"What's the matter? Are you changing your mind?" Emma taunts, "Because it sounds like you're scared, Regina. Are you scared?"_

_"Careful, Emma. You're making her angry." Ruby warns, "I heard she's fireless when she's angry."_

_Mary nudges at Ruby's ribs to quiet her down._

_Regina's eyes widen, and she locks eyes with Daniel. He's been speaking about her with 'them', no doubt. Not only has he knocked her for a loop with this celebration event, he's also betrayed her trust._

_This party is becoming too much for the young doctor, and she wishes if she hadn't agreed to meet with Daniel's friends. It sure is sticking a knife into their relationship, and for the first time since they've started dating four years ago, she feels uncertain. She glances around at the group, and for a brief moment she feels singled out. She's never been the outcast before. Must be the spirits of all the people she had alienated in the past, coming back to haunt her, she thinks._

_Daniel nods at her apologetically, and pleads with his eyes for her to save it for a later time when they're in private. And she does._

_"You don't want to find out, dear. Trust me." She says in a low, tired voice, and Emma drops the subject._

_Well, she did win the first couple of rounds. It was working just fine, really, until she started losing, going against Emma Swan and Jones._

_Jones is in his underwear, the last piece that separated him from decency and public indecency. Emma is down to her jeans, and black sports bra. Her boots, socks, jacket and shirt are off. Regina is down to her charcoal pencil skirt, and red silk shirt. Her coat, pantyhose, and heels are off. _

_She's lost a round now, though, and she's going to have to choose between her shirt, or pencil skirt. Or maybe not._

_"An earring is fair game!" Regina insists, "Where in the rules does it say that jewelry is not allowed?"_

_"If a belt was not allowed, an earring is most definitely not." David stammers out from where he sat, two meters away. His cheeks red with alcohol, and his eyes are fluttering shut._

_Mary Margaret is next to him, laughing at how August, Graham, Ruby and Victor are playing with the sand like a bunch of children. They seem to be building a castle, Mary isn't sure, but she almost wants to go and join them. Regina and Emma are so boringly competitive, it's been an hour and a half, and they're still fighting tooth and nail._

_"Earrings don't count, you heard the lady." Jones says, "Now take off your shirt."_

_Regina doesn't spare him a glance, and focuses of Emma. "How about I take all my jewelry, and we'll count all of them as one piece."_

_Emma contemplates the idea, but then figures she should cut the brunette some slack. She is new to the group. Well, technically, she's not new, but Regina doesn't know that. _

_"Fine," Emma says, "You can take off all your jewelry."_

_"Oh, come on mate!" Jones exclaims, "Rules are rules."_

_"Just this once," Emma pressed her palms together, and pleads to the man._

_"Well, I'm outta here. It's clear I won't be the winner, and I won't be seeing any kind of breasts tonight." He bids the ladies farewell, and waves goodbye to the rest. Jones comically puts on his clothes on, and leaves the group._

_Emma deals the next round, "You missed one," She says, motioning to Regina's engagement ring._

_"I never take it off," Regina reaches for the cards, and locks eyes with Emma, waiting for a reply._

_"Oh," Emma says, eyeing her two aces. "What happens when you take it off?" She asks, an eyebrow arching slightly._

_"Nothing happens," Regina tells her, her voice saying why would anything happen? She shakes her head, not stopping herself from glancing at Emma's lips. They look extra delicious under the firelight. Oh, yeah. She's definitely drunk, she thinks._

_"Then why are you afraid to take it off?" Emma inches closer, her shoulder touching the brunette's._

_"I'm not." Regina says._

_"Then take it off."_

_"Why do you want me to take it off so badly?" Regina asks, the curiosity is killing her. She wants to know what Emma is all about. She's been getting this vibe from her, and somehow she's being forced into emitting the same atmosphere as the blonde's._

_Emma shrugs, "When you take it off, you can do anything. You're not engaged, and you don't belong to anyone."_

_"So it's okay to cheat when it's off?" Regina prods, her brows rising to her hairlines._

_The blonde smiles, "I never said that."_

_"You implied it."_

_"I didn't."_

_"Yes, you did." Emma leans closer, "And you know what I think? I think you've thought about cheating once or twice just tonight."_

_Regina holds their gaze, her face expressionless and stoic. This maddening woman is getting on her nerves, and she feels like she's losing some sort of battle that she doesn't know existed. The alcohol in her system is not helping her at all, which is weird since it usually does._

_"I win," Emma says, jarring Regina back to reality._

_"What?" The brunette asks, her voice breathless and dry. _

_"I win this round," She tells her, showing Regina her hand._

_Well, great. Now she'll have to take another piece off. She looks down at her attire, and a brilliant idea strikes her. She slips her hands underneath her skirt, and slowly wiggles out of her red silk panties. The fact that she feels Emma watching her, makes her heart beat even faster. She doesn't care that her panties are a little soaked, she knows it'll shut up the infuriating blonde._

_She glances up, gasping as she sees the expression on Emma's face. She's almost sure Emma's chest is heaving as she stares at the discarded article. But that isn't what most caught Regina's eye, it's the blonde's dilated ones that made her just a little bit more intrigued._

_And just a tiny bit scared. _

_Emma carefully reaches for the silk, and stretches it in the air. "Where," She says, clearing her throat, sensing how dry it's been. "Where did you get these?"_

_Regina watches the blonde play with her panties, and she finds that she can't really stop her. She has no energy left, and honestly she doesn't want to stop her. She feels wanted, and it's driving her crazy. _

_Painfully slow, she reaches for the tag placed on back side of her panties. Her fingers touch Emma's briefly, and she doesn't flinch away from them. Instead, she reads the tag, acting as if she hasn't felt an electrical current running throw her nerves. "Victoria's secret." She breathes out._

_"Umm," Emma begins, stammering as she tries to gather her thoughts. "Umm, you win, Regina. I-I need some fresh air," She says, stumbling on her feet, and falling backwards as she retreats away from the brunette._

* * *

"It's really not a problem." Emma says, "I'll talk to her, and get her to come inside."

Daniel nods, "Come on, guys. Let's go inside and get some sleep."

David and Mary follow him inside as he ushers them to a safe place to crash for the night.

Or morning.

The blonde walks over to the BMW, "Hey," Emma says, tapping on Regina's window. "Let me in, Regina."

Regina opens her eyes, and notices what Emma has spread across the window. She immediately unlocks the door, allowing the blonde inside. "Give me that!" She orders, "You have no right!"

"No, no. This is mine now." Emma stuffs Regina's silk underwear back into her jacket's pocket, and a slides into the passenger's seat. "So," She says, dragging the O sound. "I have a proposal to make."

"Whatever you're going to propose, I'm not gonna go along with it." Regina states, knowing full well that whatever proposal the blonde has for her, it will involve a little bit more than what they did back at the beach.

"Really?"

"Really, Emma." Regina says.

Emma chuckles, "That's the first time you said my name."

"You're keeping track? That's not creepy at all." Regina rolls her eyes.

"Fair enough." Emma shrugs, "I think you would want to hear my proposal, though."

"Why would I want that?"

Emma locks eyes with Regina, suddenly being all too serious. It startles the brunette a bit, but she's shocked when she hears the blonde say, "Because if you don't, I'll tell Daniel that we kissed."

"You wouldn't!"

"You don't know me, I could tell him."

"And jeopardize your relationship with Daniel?" Regina questions, her voice hoarse, "I don't think you would do that."

"I will do that, if you don't agree with my terms." Emma deadpan tells Regina, "I'm friends with Daniel, and I care about him, but my relationship with him is not as solid as it appears to be."

"I'm not going to sleep with you."

"I'm not asking you to sleep with me." Emma looks away, the sun is setting up, casting a heavenly light over the horizon. It's a wonderful day to be alive, Emma thinks.

"Then, what do you want?" Regina asks, her voice showing a bit of disappointment, but it goes unnoticed.

"That place over there," She motions to the run-down building, "Is mine. Every year, I direct, produce and participate in a play."

"Get to the point." Regina snaps, "We don't have all day."

Emma smirks at Regina, her eyes glowing with life. She knows the brunette will say yes, and she knows that if she doesn't, then she'd still leave a winner. She also knows that this might as well has diminished her chances with Regina, if she ever had any.

"I want you to be my leading actress in my play, Regina. You do that, and I won't ever mention our little kiss. I will take it to the grave, I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Lady in Waiting

2

"Where are you going?" Mary Margaret asks Emma as the young blonde disappears into the darkness behind the misty fog of San Francisco.

Emma does not spare the woman a glance, though, and keeps sprinting ahead with Regina's red silk panties safely tucked in her warm leather jacket; whether she took it on purpose or not, is up for debate.

A good distance away from the small crowd where she appears as a tiny figure to them, Emma slumps onto the chilly sand, and buries her face in her right hand, making sure her cast is carefully hugged against her heaving chest. Her knees support and balance her head, and she sighs loudly as if she has released all life's troubles just now.

After a moment of silence, she breathes in a heavy breath, rubbing at her shaky hands. It's getting colder, and she remembers then to lock up the small window in the attic at her theatre. The cold is sickening in a building without heaters, but Emma keeps it that way to give herself reason to move around.

And with a woman with her mass of anger, of course she needs the physical activities.

Fishing for her phone, she takes a glance at the gleaming screen of a picture she'd taken a good couple of years ago. The woman trapped in her phone's screen is standing in the far distance with her back to the camera, surrounded by a vague, crimson-red, rose garden. Nothing much is clear and the figure's silhouette in contrast with the dim-lighted background is blurry to the point of no recognition, but still.

It remains one of Emma's most favorite pictures till this day.

Bittersweet, yes, but a favorite nonetheless.

* * *

"Lets play spin the bottle, then." David says, glancing around the group of hammered friends.

Amongst the bunch, the only one who seems to be completely sober is Emma. Regina and Mary are clearly tipsy, but the rest are drunk with every meaning of the word.

Graham and August are lying on their backs, giggling like a couple of teenagers, and whispering out the secrets of the universe to themselves.

Ruby is crying heartily, but only out of sheer happiness. Apparently, she has just noticed how beautiful the world really is.

Victor is fast asleep.

David, although usually passes out when drunk, is suddenly hyper, and wants nothing but to play some more, "Come on, come on!" He charmingly chides, offering a wink to Emma, to which the blonde shrugs and laughs.

"This is not a party anymore, lets have some fun!" David continues, and pulls at everyone's shoulders, until everyone's seated around the fire once more. It takes a while to persuade Regina, but he doesn't take no for an answer.

"I don't take no for an answer," He tells her, and stands stock-still, staring at the annoyed brunette like she has to choose between playing the damn game, or receiving a beating from him.

"Oh, right, you're a cop," She murmurs to herself, and gives in after she catches Emma gawking at her from a few meters away.

Though tipsy, she can still feel a strange vibe coming from the blonde, and it makes her unsettled that she doesn't recognize its meaning, or Emma's intentions for that matter. There's something definitely alarming about the blonde, and Regina is intent on finding out what it is.

With one glance at her fiance, Regina nods at David, "Fine," She says, rolling her eyes, and moving to sit down.

"Alright, we'll spin it 3 more times, and then we'll call it a night." David says, laughing at how much the group seems to be far much drunker than they'd been an hour ago.

Emma sighs, going for the bottle with all her might. She finds it strange that in the past 60 minutes, give or take, she hadn't once gotten the chance to kiss Regina.

It's true, the brunette had been sitting right next to her for more than half of the time, and so it was impossible to kiss her, but they've changed places multiple times, and it's just weird that they didn't get each other.

It's so weird, that everyone had started pointing it out.

"Hey, h-hey," Ruby stammers, patting at Emma's shoulder, "You'll get her next time. Don't look so sad..." She laughs then, and shudders away from the stoic expression of the blonde's.

"Ruby..." Mary Margaret warns, "Don't..." The pixie haired woman is sober now, but not without attempt to get tipsy again. She hates the atmosphere the party had developed, and with the passing time, she senses that there's more to this gathering than she has knowledge of.

Emma sighs, and spins the bottle. She doesn't even care about hiding her irritation at the turn of events, but she does unconsciously joke about it now and then.

And will continue to joke about it in the future, as well.

"You know what?" Daniel says, moving in to kiss Emma after the bottle spun to reveal him as the other participant. "Maybe you should just kiss her, Em." He laughs then, and plants a kiss to Emma's cheek. They've kissed a dozen times, it's not as fun as it first was.

It's not bothering Regina as it first did, too. The brunette just sighs, and nudges Daniel to spin the bottle. He's sitting next to her, right across from Emma. "Spin," She tells him tiredly, wanting to get it over with. "Honey," She adds after Emma sends her a knowing glance. It's irritating her endlessly; Emma is.

August glances at Graham, and they both glance over at Emma and nod. Emma, on the other hand, shrugs and smiles sadly at her friends.

After a moment of distraction, August and Graham get up, and excuse themselves. Before they leave, though, August leans down, and whispers into Emma's ear: "Go get her, Em."

Graham leans in, too, and whispers: "Maybe now your chances will increase." He plants a soft kiss on her lips, and turns to leave.

"I'll see you guys later," Emma says, smiling genuinely now. What would I do without my friends, she thinks, rubbing at her temples.

"Here it goes," Daniel says, spinning the bottle. "Ah, Ruby dear." He says, leaning in, and kissing her cheek. From previous experiences, he knows not to upset the fiance. Regina, for some reason, hates Ruby so much that she almost slapped her when they'd gotten each other, and Ruby had planted a kiss on her lips.

It's pointless to continue playing at this point, but nevertheless, Ruby grabs the bottle, and spins it, only to hold it in place so it would be between her, and Emma. She grins then, and leans down to immediately capture the blonde's lips in a hard kiss.

Emma smiles into Ruby's lips, and in an uncharacteristic move that she knows will come back and haunt her later on that evening -perhaps later on in life- she moans.

Daniel whistles.

Mary looks away shyly.

David smiles sadly.

And Regina simply rolls her eyes.

* * *

They've been walking for the past 30 minutes or so, and David is still unsure where they'd parked. He has Mary Margaret on one side, and Daniel on the other.

Ruby had left, because she needed to get up early for the first shift at the Cafe they'd met up at. Surprisingly, though, she wasn't drunk anymore. Before she'd took off, she typed down a text, and sent it to Emma. The blonde had glanced up after she'd read the text, her eyes as wide as can be. To which Ruby had smiled warmly, and with a final hug, she hopped into her Harley Davidson motorcycle, and drove off.

Looking back, Emma watches as the brunette falls further behind and her steps grow smaller. She knows the young doctor feels uncomfortable without her underwear, and she knows she'll hear from her sooner or later about the stolen panties. She does, though, admire Regina's patience and her ability to appear robot-like at any given situation.

Fishing inside her jeans pockets, Emma finds her keys. She cradles them between her fingers in a moment of hesitation, and then ever so subtly throws them across the pavement. The metal clashes with the ground with a soft thud, and it slides down and under the vending machine they'd just passed by, "Oh shit!" She exclaims.

Mary turns to face Emma, "What's wrong, Emma?" She yells, and when the blonde shrugs and waves her hand, telling them they should go ahead and she'll catch up later, Mary Margaret nods and continues walking.

Emma waits until Regina's in sight, "Hey," She casually says, sitting on the pavement and seemingly uncaring whether the brunette gives her the time of day or not.

Regina doesn't. She just keeps on walking, pretending not to hear.

Emma rolls her eyes then, "Oh, Regina," She says.

"You might want to remember that I've got something of yours."

At that, Regina snaps her head at the blonde, and glares so intensely, Emma flinches away and shudders.

"Give it back," Regina grits out, stalking towards the blonde.

Emma shakes her head, "First, I need your help, and then you can have this." She wiggles the article of clothes in the air, and smiles devilishly. "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal..." Regina murmurs, moving to stand a few centimeters away from the blonde, "What deal? This is full on extortion, Barbie." She shakes her head slightly, "No," She says, her voice singing joyfully like she's just figured out how to cure cancer. "This is stealing. I could have you arrested for this..."

She moves way then, and chuckles. "I think I'll call the cops right now."

Emma rolls her eyes, "Yeah, you do that."

"I think I will, Barbie." She takes out her phone, and pushes in the buttons.

"Hello, this is Regina Mills. Yes, I'd like to report a robbery please." She glances up, and smirks at the blonde.

Emma laughs comically, pushing her hands into the warm of her pockets, and slowly saunters over to the brunette.

"What's missing?" Regina has her back to Emma, and it's clear she's a little more than embarrassed. "Well, my dignity for that matter," She rolls her eyes and huffs impatiently.

"Just tell him that I took your panties, already, Regina." Emma reminds, holding up her hands when the brunette gives her a look that says don't-you-dare-come-closer.

"Well, she took something of mine." She tells the police officer, "And she won't give it back."

"Yes, she's right here."

"No, I don't know her, and she's not armed."

"You want to talk with her? She's obviously going to lie!"

Emma chooses this moment to interfere, snatching the device from Regina's grasp, and moving away a few cautionary steps as to not receive any type of retaliation from the young doctor.

Regina growls, but Emma holds up a finger.

"Hey," She says into the phone, but then her eyes widen almost immediately, "Neil!?" She smiles then, and Regina notes that her smile is as broad as ever. "Hey, how are you doing?"

Regina eyes the blonde questioningly, hands on hips, and feet shifting awkwardly in the confines of her pencil skirt. Suddenly she remember she doesn't have her panties on, and for a moment there, she wonders if it's best to just walk away from the blonde, but then decides against that since Emma still has her phone.

"Yeah, I've been well, and everyone's doing just fine. You should come over once the play is in motion."

"Probably by the end of the year, yeah. You still have the same phone number? Alright, send it to this one cause I've changed my number so many times before, I don't have any of my contacts."

"You, too, and sorry about Regina Mills," She laughs humorously, "Yeah, it's a false alarm." She calmly tells the police officer; one she'd been friends since her teens. "Alright, thank you. And I'm sorry again."

"Well, that was embarrassing." Emma says, hanging up and wiggling the phone in the air.

Regina rolls her eyes, incredibly tired and fed up with the situation. She glances up, and watches as a plane flies over her head, and slowly disappears into the raging clouds over the horizon. It looks like it's about to rain, but it always looks like it's about to rain in San Francisco, Regina muses.

"Regina?" Emma says, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder, and shaking her slightly. When Regina turns and gives her a glare, Emma retreats, holding her hands up in surrender. "Look," She says, motioning to vending machine. "I dropped my keys under that thing, and I need help getting them back."

"Get them yourself!" Regina sneers.

"I would, but you know..." She juts out her broken arm, and shrugs her shoulders.

Regina studies the blonde for a moment, giving her a once-over. Somehow, even as a gynecologist, she knows Emma is lying about her arm, and it's not really broken as much as it could be just bruised. She wants to ask her why she's pretending, and why it's so important to keep at it even when she knows no one is looking, but she figures that would equal conversation, and conversation with the stubborn blonde has been proved to be a difficult task.

She sighs loudly then, and glances one last time at the sky, watching for airplanes, "And you'll give me back my underwear?" She asks, her voice low and exhausted.

Emma nods, crosses over her heart, and takes a few steps towards the machine. "I think you can get it from that side."

She's still intoxicated, albeit rather slightly. But the buzz in her ears, and the warmth of her cheeks, makes her think it's best to just go with the blonde, and quickly catch up with the rest. "Fine," She says, and moves over to where Emma is standing.

At first, Regina tries to move the box, pushing and pulling at it, but to Emma's humorous laugh, she sighs, and with much annoyance in her eyes, she slowly drops down, and reaches under stubborn machine.

Emma moves away at this point, and stands a meter away, gazing at the brunette with a cheap grin and an appreciative, sweet but quiet hum.

There's that vibe again, Regina can feel it even with her back to the blonde. She knows she's being watched, and she knows the blonde might have just tossed her keys on purpose, and all of this is just a big charade to get her to bend down without her underwear.

She can't stop herself from asking, "Did you do this on purpose?" She asks, stretching her arm with a small groan that leaves her delicious, plump, parted lips.

"Yes," Emma answers honestly, not really caring.

"What!?" Regina snaps her head, but still stretches her finger ever so slightly to reach the key chain. "You did all this so you could get me to bend down without my underwear?" She asks with disdain and annoyance in her voice, and with that tone, it completely feels like she's telling Emma how much of a stalker she is, without really saying the words.

She will, though, say those words.

Emma laughs, "You're so full of it, Regina."

Regina turns her head towards the machine, feeling the metal against her middle finger. "I think I got it..." With one final groan, Regina manages to get ahold of the chain, and with that, she stands up, and starts dusting her skirt and coat.

Not that her clothes are dusty, it's just a habit.

"The keys?" Regina hears Emma speaking from behind, and she jumps a little. "Did you get them?"

Regina turns to face the blonde, and immediately finds herself a bit alarmed at the close proximity, "My silk first." She pockets the keys, and extends her hand empty instead.

Emma shakes her head, tutting, and takes a few steps towards Regina, forcing her to slam her back against the machine. She smiles then, but in just moments, she knits her brows together as if she has seen something she hasn't seen in while, and the mere thought of seeing it again, has her eyes set ablaze.

She takes a deep breath, gulping in the process, and raises a shaky hand to Regina's warm cheek. It doesn't dare to make contact, it just hovers there, and Emma locks her eyes with the brunette. "Can I?" She says, her voice sounding tiny for the first time that evening.

Regina stares at Emma, completely lost in thought for her to register any of the blonde's words. It's that damn vibe again she's getting. It's intoxicating, it's aggravating, and it's coming directly from the blonde, and Regina has no idea what it means, if it's really there, or if it's just her imagination playing tricks.

How can a mere presence make her feel that way? She wonders. Perhaps it's the vast difference in character between her and Emma that's setting her on edge.

Emma is a free spirit.

She is clearly not.

She feels strange, and uncertain, and small. She feels so very small, it's unnerving. She needs her attitude, it's her only shield, and without it, she feels naked, and raw, and so much more feelings she doesn't care to describe.

Suddenly, Regina glances up, frantically searching for airplanes. She's never been on one before, and ironically, watching a chunk of metal that has no business of flying, soar through the air grounds the brunette.

"Who are you?" She asks, her own hand coming up to make contact with Emma's cheek. She wants to know if this person is real, or just in illusion created by her intoxicated state of mind.

It's not.

Emma's very real indeed.

"Who are you?" She asks again, "Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"

Emma stares down at Regina, and for a split second, she wonders if Regina has her all figured out, but she couldn't have, could she?

No.

Regina doesn't know.

"I'm Emma," She breathes out like that one word would explain everything, and then at last she allows her hand to make contact with Regina's cheek. She gasps then. It comes out loud, and in an incoherent whimper.

Finally!

Regina looks up at Emma, "D-do I know you?" She asks, and when she feels Emma lean in closer, she asks again,"Do I know you!?" Only her voice is loud, and strange even to her own ears.

But, Emma doesn't answer, so her other hand shoots up, and finds Emma's jacket. She buries her fist there, not really knowing whether to pull or to push.

"Regina," Emma whispers against her soft, slightly parted lips, "I like you." She says, her eyes closing, and her nose nuzzling against the brunette's, and the move feels so familiar to the brunette, only she knows it's not.

"I like you so...fucking much!"

With that, Regina decides to pull rather than to push.

* * *

"I want you to be my leading actress in my play, Regina. You do that, and I won't ever mention our little kiss. I will take it to the grave, I promise."

"Is this your idea of humor?" Regina sneers, her eyes practically burning a hole into Emma's skull.

"No, it's not."

"You must be out of your damn mind, Barbie. I am a doctor! You might not understand this, given your line of work, but I save lives."

"Tell me what you really want, is it money? I've got money, and I've got connections. But I don't have-"

"You don't have what, Regina?" Emma cuts her mid-sentence, glaring down at the brunette. It appears she would have to be a little bit more convincing than simply threatening the doctor.

A threat, Regina would eventually find out Emma would never go through with.

"I don't have the time for playing. No pun intended." She rolls her eyes then, and looks out the window.

"I will pay you," Emma adds in an attempt she knows will only get her more glaring.

"What part of I don't have the time, do you not comprehend, my dear?" Regina crossed her arms, and waits for a reply that will never come.

After a few silent beats, "How much do you want?"

"I don't want your money."

"Fine, then do you want me to get you a real job? Is there something else you're good at, other than playing around?" She glances at Emma.

"I have a job," Emma says tiredly, and moves to leave the vehicle. She's already laid down her cards, so there's nothing much to add.

If Regina chooses to ignore her threat, then it really is the end for Emma. She would have to force herself to move on, even if she had to drag one heavy leg after the other, just to get away from the brunette.

"You have five minutes, Regina. You know where to find me." With that, she exists the car, moving away and past the calls for her to wait coming from the brunette.

Emma walks to her theatre, which is just a few meters away from Daniel's BMW, and waits by the door. She glances at her watch, making sure to count the minutes, and then she glances up at the sky, completely stunned to find an airplane flying over their heads.

The sun is rising up over the horizon, and Emma finds herself lost in layers of blue, yellow, and a shade of beautiful amber.

She trails her fingers over her lips, closing her eyes in the process, and remembering how good it felt to kiss Regina. How good it felt being near her, inhaling her scent, touching her skin, and tasting those sinful lips.

A door slamming shut, pulls Emma back. Her hand falls to her side, but she keeps her eyes closed, listening in to Regina's heels collide with the stoney ground.

"Fine," She hears Regina say, her voice neither loud nor low.

"Fine, what?" Emma asks.

"I'll be your actress in exchange of you keeping your mouth shut…"

Emma decides then to open her eyes, and instantly wonders if she should have kept them shut.

Regina looks like an angel; a spiritual being; a perfectly proportioned statue, framed with the breathtakingly beautiful sunrise that had reached its own peak of gorgeousness.

"Deal," Emma says, leaning in and capturing Regina's lips in a soft kiss.


End file.
